Why the Keto Diet might be ruining your gut

High fat diets have come under fire for being potentially harmful to gut healthSource:BodyAndSoul

A new study has revealed that high-fat diets, like the Keto diet, may be damaging our gut bacteria in the long term and leaving us exposed to certain metabolic diseases like Type 2 diabetes.

The Chinese study assessed over 200 healthy adults between the ages of 18 to 35 years old, assigning them diets that were either low, moderate or high in fat. The participants were monitored over a six month period and the changes in their gut health analysed at the end of the trial.

The study found that those adults who had been placed on a high-fat diet had, "unfavourable changes in gut microbiota" at the end of trial. The study notes, published on gut.bmj.com, observe that these changes in the gut may cause, "adverse consequences for long-term health outcomes."

This isn’t the first time that high-fat diets, such as the Keto diet, have come under fire.

The Keto Diet is a low carb, high fat diet that aims to transition your body into ketosis - essentially burning stored body fat instead of relying on carbohydrates as its preferred source of energy.

Dietitian Melissa Meier has shared her warnings about the Keto diet with body+soul previously, stating: "if you’re limiting carbs, you’re at risk of missing out on valuable nutrients that come from these foods, like fibre to support a healthy gut, or calcium for strong bones and teeth."

"While the ketogenic diet has been used to treat epilepsy in young children, there simply isn’t enough quality, long-term evidence to recommend this diet for the general population," Melissa warned.

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